WASHINGTON – Saint Joseph’s, the three-time defending Atlantic 10 Conference field hockey champion, has been voted as the league’s preseason favorite for the 2024 season. The A-10 announced the annual Preseason Poll and the 11-member Preseason All-Conference team Tuesday ahead of the start of the season on Friday, August 30.
The Hawks were selected first in the poll with 63 total points and seen first-place votes. SJU closed out league play last year with a perfect 7-0 record and were 16-5 overall, and closed the season ranked 13th in the NFHCA Coaches Poll. The Hawks sport four returners on the Preseason All-Conference team, including two A-10 Offensive Players of the Year in Lily Santi (2022) and Manu Ghigliotti (2023), 2022 A-10 Rookie of the Year Sol Borensztein, and 2023 All-Conference First Team selection Kate Crist. Saint Joseph’s, which topped 20
th-ranked UMass 2-1 to capture last year’s A-10 crown, will be vying for its fourth straight title and seventh in the last eight years.
Massachusetts was chosen second in the poll, earning one first place vote and 54 total points. The Minutewomen have two returners on the preseason squad, led by 2023 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year Hannah De Gast and A-10 Goalkeeper of the Year Myrte Van Herwijnen. The Minutewomen finished last season tied for second place at 5-2, and posted a 13-7 record overall. UMass, which has the most championship titles of any A-10 school, finished last season ranked 20th in the NFHCA poll, and will be looking to capture its 17
th league title
VCU, tied the Minutewomen for second place last season at 5-2 in the A-10 last year and was 13-6 overall, was picked third with 48 points. The Rams have two on the Preseason All-Conference Team, Morena Macena and Camila Rosenbrock to start the season, both of whom earned All-Conference honors at the end of last season. VCU is in search of its second league title this season.
Richmond was selected fourth with 41 points and will be anchored by Clara Larripa, an All-Confernece standout for La Salle last season. The Spiders are now under the direction of Martu Loncarica, who also joined UR after a successful stint at La Salle, where she led the Explorers to an A-10 Championship berth.
La Salle, now under the direction of head coach Michael Warari, was picked fifth with 25 points and field hockey affiliate member Lock Haven sixth with 24 points in the poll. Davidson and Saint Louis split the final two poll spots, with the Wildcats in seventh and the Billikens in eighth. Davidson’s Sib Naaktgeboren and SLU’s Josefina Perez each were named Preseason All-Conference.
The 2024 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey season is set to commence on Friday, August 30. Conference play begins on Friday, Sept. 20 and the 2024 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship will take place Nov. 7-9 at Ellen Ryan Field in Philadelphia on the Saint Joseph’s campus.
The league’s eight head coaches voted in both the Preseason poll and All-Conference Team, which is listed below.
2024 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Preseason Poll
Number in parenthesis indicates first-place votes.
- Saint Joseph's Hawks -- 63 (7)
- Massachusetts Minutewomen54 (1)
- VCU Rams48
- Richmond Spiders41
- La Salle Explorers25
- Lock Haven Bald Eagles24
- Davidson Wildcats21
- Saint Louis Billikens12
2024 Field Hockey Preseason All-Conference Team
Sib Naaktgeboren, Davidson
Hannah De Gast, Massachusetts
Myrte Van Herwijnen, Massachusetts (GK)
Clara Larripa, Richmond
Sol Borensztein, Saint Joseph's
Kate Crist, Saint Joseph's
Manu Ghigliotti, Saint Joseph's
Lily Santi, Saint Joseph's
Josefina Perez, Saint Louis
Morena Macera, VCU
Camila Rosenbrock, VCU